[yamel]

This is definitely a tough spot….I think without a lot of history on the players, once we check behind we gave up unless the turn changes something. This turn should be better for the villain’s pre-flop calling range, so we can’t even start building a compelling story. With just a bluff catcher and a turn that didn’t give us equity, I’m likely done with this hand…sorry.

[binkley]

At 40BB stack, I prefer a 2.5BB raise and add 1 BB per limper. So facing 2 limpers my opening would be 4.5 BB.

Since PokerGeek had been open raising before you saw him limp this hand, he is splitting his continuing range in some way. Typical hands to limp in early position are small pairs (22 thru 66), small suited aces (A2s-A7s), and small suited connectors (34s thru 76s).

Hero holding AhKs

UTG: 22-66, A2s-A7s, 34s-76s

Board Qd3s2d3h

Using equity calculator: Hero 39.6%, UTG 60.4%

Facing a half pot bet, you need 33% equity to call.

The 3h on the turn is better for UTG range than yours. If you think he’s using that to bet his whole range, there is an argument for a call. If you think that he would be underbluffing and weighted more toward value, then a fold is the better option.

But you can never be 100% sure of the exact strategy of your opponent. You need to consider your range construction. Facing a half pot bet, you need to defend with 67% of your range (MDF). So your flop checking range needs to include hands you plan to check call with. Depending on how you are constructing your range, AK may or may not be a check call.

[jim]

I love this – knowing @PokerGeekMN if he is limping in EP it’s with a thoughtfully constructed range. That doesn’t mean that it’s balanced – when I’m constructing some value ranges I’ll include a mixed strategy with some sub-sub-sub-premiums at a really low frequency to give the impression of a wider range than I’m actually playing there. Not saying John’s doing that here, but it’s a fun way to “widen” a range without actually weakening it.

[steve-fredlund]

This one is quite interesting to me; not sure I have encountered John limping UTG before, but I’ve definitely seen him build a stack early repeatedly. I think your preflop sizing needs to be bigger, if nothing else to range John better… when he limps UTG and then two other limpers and only needs 2 more to call, he will be doing that with 100% of his range (or at least the range that isn’t AA, KK if he was limping to be tricky. As played, against John, I would be tempted to continue as your flop check will be see as very polarizing .. you have A high or you have QQ for top set; so he should stab on that turn with a high frequency. The issue is that calling Johns turn is likely the decision to call his river. I think a couple of more aggressive lines could have been higher EV (but I defer to the wizards)… either a chunky c-bet on the flop OR a turn raise.

[pokergeekmn]

I don’t specifically remember this hand, but I’ll try to find it with my hand histories. I’m surprised I limped UTG. Usually that means it was a mis-click, or I was at a rush to return to the game. So I don’t have a way of guessing my range, in that I usually don’t do that.

One of my strategies when I get a bigger stack is to apply a lot of pressure. I could have done that with any pocket pair, although I doubt I would have had Jacks or higher given that I didn’t re-raise pre. I would have definitely done this If I held a three. Given the mis-click, Q3s wouldn’t be completely out of my range either.

Given the play is out of character for me, I would have probably called the turn bet and re-evaluate on the river. The problem is I will sometimes give up, sometimes fire with air, and sometimes fire with a very strong hand on the river. However I probably wouldn’t bet with anything that a pair of queens would bet.

I’ll try to find the hand in my hand history and see what is up.

[binkley]

So after you compliment PokerGeek by saying he’s a tough player, he responds by saying he may have set you up with a misclick?

Hopefully he can find the hand and we can find out what he really had.

[arw]

He also provided the “sometimes” estimation for how often he gives up, bluffs, and brings me to value town on this board. It’s like a weather prediction.

[pokergeekmn]

I think I found the hand in my hand history. I’ve re-created it on Share My Pair. It’s a little different than described above, but I think it is the correct hand.

http://mysmp.me/h_ply

PokerStars – 25/50 Ante 6 NL – Holdem – 7 players

Hand converted by PokerTracker 4

schneidz33 (CO): 2,849

Wolfman109 (BTN): 2,958

mbabker (SB): 2,821

Obner (BB): 3,007

PokerGeekMN (UTG): 7,461

GRG646 (UTG+1): 8,055

nehianh (MP): 2,945

7 players post ante of 6, mbabker posts SB 25, Obner posts BB 50

Pre Flop:(pot: 117) PokerGeekMN has Q:heart: J:heart:

PokerGeekMN raises to 125, fold, fold, fold, Wolfman109 raises to 350, fold, fold, PokerGeekMN calls 225

Flop: (817, 2 players) Q:diamond: 3:spade: 2:diamond:

PokerGeekMN checks, Wolfman109 checks

Turn: (817, 2 players) 3:heart:

PokerGeekMN bets 550, fold

PokerGeekMN wins 817

[arw]

Thanks for the hand history.

I made a mistake on the pre-flop action.

You opened, I 3-bet, you called.

I would say we both played that hand well. I don’t think I made a huge error checking back the flop. I also don’t think I’m folding the turn 100% of the time. I’m definitely calling down some of the time. It’s player dependent. This player was tough, he had me covered, and he told a solid story on the board. Easy Fold when those are the conditions.